Mary as: Susan Taylor Directed By: Emilio Estevez Screenwriter: Emilio Estevez Distributor: The Weinstein Company, Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer
Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Anthony Hopkins, Lindsay Lohan, Demi Moore, Elijah Wood Genre: Drama / History MPAA Rating: 'R' for language, drug content, nudity and a scene of violence Runtime: 120 minutes
Theatrical Release: 25th December, 2006 DVD Release: 10th April, 2007
Budget: $14,000,000 (estimate) Box Office: $19,873,843 DVD Sales: $12,345,494 Filming Dates: 31st October, 2005 - December 2005 (date not specified)
The film recreates the ambience and themes of 1968 and invokes the hopes killed with Robert F. Kennedy, by portraying this day-in-the-life of twenty-two characters around for the day Kenndy was assassinated.
Among the twenty-two lives are; a retired doorman inviting old friends to play chess, two unhappy married entertainers at the downside of their career, a couple who gets married so he can avoid the war in Vietnam, a drug dealer, two Kennedy staffers preparing for the big night, a pair of volunteers vying for the affection of a waitress, a beautician married to the cheating hotel manager, a racist food-and-beverage manager, a chef and two busboys, a Czechoslovakian reporter, two gossiping switchboard operators and a married socialite couple.
The plot thickens; the stories merged - and the twenty-two lives are intertwined in one single moment in history the world will never forget.
Susan is an Ohioan waitress working in the Ambassador Hotel. She dreams of becoming an actress and frequently auditions for roles, although in vain. She has a charming personality and an enthralling smile. Prior to the Kennedy assassination, she met two quirky college students who are Kennedy volunteers in the café and discusses the movie "The Graduate" with them, a movie that she loves.
Susan reveals her plan to audition at Schwabb's, a production company, on June the fifth, and much like her portrayer, she won't undress herself in front of a camera and has high self respect. Proven, she is a woman with principles. It is obvious that the two volunteers, Jimmy and Cooper, are vying for her attention, but she tells them both off after she realizes they are stoned when they return to the café later that evening.
That night, Susan attended the party and cheers on for Kennedy. During the assassination, both Jimmy and Cooper are injured, although Jimmy's wounds are more fatal. Being a caring and compassionate person, Susan helps them both in the kitchen, shocked and grieved at the sudden turn of events.
Mary Quotes
• "I got the script pretty much like any other script. And the only person that I was aware of being attached to it at that point was Anthony Hopkins, so automatically you want to be in the film."
• "I loved the characters, I loved the story, I loved everything about it. And so I was able to meet with Emilio and just kind of sit down and talk to him about it, and I let him know that any role that was available that would suit me, I would do, no matter how big or how small."
• "I took a meeting on it with Emilio months and months before the project got into production and told him that whatever role came available or any way that I could be a part of it, I would take any part that I could have. And so eventually all the roles became filled, mostly by big names, and I didn't get in there."
Memorable Quotes
• (realizing Jimmy and Cooper are stoned)
Susan: "Is this the first time you two have turned on? (awkward silence) Aww come on, fellas. Your pupils are like saucers."
Jimmy: "What do you know? You're from Iowa."
Susan: "Ohio. What, you think California is the only place people drop acid?"
• Susan: "Oh, how are my little drug addicts?"
Cooper: "I don't think I've ever seen you out of your uniform."
Jimmy: "But we've both fantasized about it before."
• (Cooper is trying to take a picture of Susan)
Jimmy: "He actually thinks he knows what he's doing with that thing."
Cooper: "I do know what I'm doing with this thing. (to Susan) You look like a movie star." (Jimmy pushes a lever at the bottom of the camera; turning it on; Cooper looks frustrated)
Susan: "Well say a prayer for me. Cause tomorrow, I'm interviewing at Schwabb's."
Jimmy: "Oh, good for you. Which-- Schwabb's? What is that, a director, producer or something?"
Cooper: "No, moron. Schwabb's on sunset. Lana Turner was discovered there."
Jimmy: "(vexed, embarrased) Oh, Schwabb's."
Trivia & Facts
• Mary's scenes in the café are one of the only scenes that are shot in the actual Ambassador Hotel as it was being demolished when the film was shooting.
• Through an interview, it turns out that Mary's role, Susan Taylor, was first given to another actress ("a huge name", as Mary called it). The unknown actress dropped out at the last minute, and Mary was called into work the next day.
• To get herself ready for the role, Mary talked to her parents about what it's like living in the late 60's. She also frequently dressed up with the huge hair and the make-up to get herself into the role. Even after she finished filming the movie, Mary continued donning a 60's look.
• A lot of Mary scenes are left on the cutting floor and never made its way to the DVD. In fact, the film, in its entirety, is around three hours long. Among Mary's deleted scenes are Susan, Jimmy and Cooper about the latter two's volunteering (the scene was shown in the trailer), Susan and Daryl arguing because she would not post up the announcement stating that none of the staff could vote and a third scene where Susan and the hotel manager, Paul, discuss about her dreams of being an actress.
Trailer Preview
Our Reviews
Estevez's true devotion to the subject and undertone of the film shines through as one of the core elements to making the film as breathtaking and enticing. The characters are well thought out, and each seperate story is as exciting as the next. In the final minutes, the film steps from very good to amazing, as the characters you've spent nearly two hours with lives are shattered. It is a look at what the USA could of been like and suprisingly the film also is on paralell with the happenings of present day with war and racism.
- Ally
Historically magnificent and effectively poignant, Bobby recounts the assassination of Robert Kennedy. This film is driven solely by its band of complex characters. Most of them are likable and their development throughout the film is entertaining. Naturally, the actors who play them deserve a mention, too. The well-known ensemble, although frightfully overcrowded at first, break into their characters so well and succeeded in making Bobby feel natural. The only drawback I have is the snail-paced plot. That aside, well done, Estevez.
- Fitri
Critic Excerpts
RT Critics: 45%, based on 159 reviews RT Top Critics: 49%, based on 37 reviews RT Community: 76%, based on 276 reviews
IMDb: 7.2, based on 16300 votes Metacritic: 54%, based on 31 reviews MEW Staff: 8.0, based on 2 reviews
"Relative newcomer Mary Elizabeth Winstead gives a noteworthy performance as the gal pal of the two interns who has her own secrets to exorcise."
- (Read Full Review: IGN Movies)
"There are important and engrossing movies, but it's not often that both terms apply to the same movie. Bobby is one of the exceptions."
- (Read Full Review: Minneapolis Star Tribune)
"A passionate outcry for peace and justice in America that becomes deeply involving by the final climactic scene, overlaid with one of RFK's most stirring speeches."
- (Read Full Review: Variety)
"Mr. Estevez has reduced history to a bad melodrama in which nothing much happens until a crazed assassin supposedly destroys the last great hope of a liberal renaissance."
- (Read Full Review: New York Observer)
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